Sick of spending a ton on your cell phone plan? TextNow's Essential Data plan is free - yes, really

Prepaid plans are getting cheaper and cheaper every year - but have you heard of a free plan? That's exactly what the carrier TextNow offers with its excellent 'Free Essential Data' plan.

Impressively, this plan offers not just unlimited calls and texts, but also unlimited usage for essential apps like email, maps, and rideshare. That makes it a great choice for thrifty people who don't intend to pay anymore than they really need for data.

If you do need data, then TextNow offers a number of extremely affordable data passes that you can use for limited access. Starting at just $0.99 for the hourly pass, these can be incredibly handy if you're in a fix and need some data to use an app not included in the free plan. Either way, the included apps in the Essential tier is a fantastic starting point for extremely low monthly bills.

TextNow Free Essential Data plan

TextNow plan: free unlimited calls, texts, and essential app usage
Don't pay any more than you need to for your cellular plan with TextNow's excellent free Essential Data plan. Included are free calls, texts, and unlimited access to basic phone apps like emails, rideshare, and maps. Need more? No problem. Just make use of one of the carrier's excellent data passes to unlock full usage for an allotted time.

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I can see TextNow as a particularly good option for those who mostly rely on a WiFi connection at home or in the office. Using TextNow, you really do get the best of both worlds. It's an incredibly cheap service that doesn't charge you for what you don't need, while still providing the basics.

Note that TextNow requires a SIM card to set-up - with that costing $5 for the initial set-up fee. Once you've paid that, however, you're good to go with the carrier's free Essential Data plan. As of writing, TextNow does not support eSIMs but it's something that the carrier hopes to support in the future so watch this space.